


Palpable

by RichmanBachard



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Angst, Conflicted Venom, F/M, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Encounters, M/M, short and sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 08:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichmanBachard/pseuds/RichmanBachard
Summary: Venom recalls a fond memory, in wake of a loss.





	Palpable

“…do you think it’ll ever be finished?”

 

“No clue, I doubt the rumors are actually true.”

 

“Well, yeah, that’s why they’re called _rumors_ , not.. err, uhh… _truthers_.” 

 

She laughed. “The truth is out…” Slowly, she trailed off, the features on her face went blank. 

 

“Uhm.” He rose a brow, “...you oka—” He was cut off by her salute. His eyes went wide and he quickly turned to throw a salute of his own. The two of them were face-to-face with none other than Big Boss himself.

 

He eyed them, slowly, up and down. They were tense. _New recruits_ , he mused, making sure to remain slack-jawed and stoic. 

 

“B-Boss, we’re sorry for lazing about!” 

 

He squinted. He could hear their comically loud gulps. Eventually, his lips curved into a wry smile. “At ease,” he said, "no worries." They wouldn’t allow their jaws to drop, not in front of him. No way. 

 

The lowered their hands, though.

 

“B-Boss..” 

 

“Laughing Shark and Thunder Ox.” They nodded. He could spot them a mile away. It wouldn’t have been the first time he did so. “How’s guard duty?” 

 

Spotting the bead of sweat trickle down the side of Shark’s head, Boss softened his stance as the soldiers shot each other a look. 

 

“G-Good, sir.” Ox spoke up. “For the most part, at least,” her eyes drifted over to the steps, then returned to Venom’s gaze. She gave her shoulders a shrug. “She’s got good taste in music.” 

 

Venom faintly chuckled, an amused look briefly washing over him. He scratched at the scruff of his beard and turned to walk off towards the railing, rounding it and heading down the steps. 

 

Stepping into her chambers, she was washing herself. Immediately, her eyes locked on to him, on to his presence. He reciprocated and gave her a small nod. She softly hummed, something of a welcoming sound he was all too familiar with. 

 

He moved, his robotic hand glossing over the bars of the cell as he slowly walked closer towards where she was. Beams of sunlight had peaked through bits of the grating above. Coated in a golden haze and only further accentuated by the sound of the tunes, the cell carried with it something of a peaceful aura. 

 

Venom loved days like this. Simple and quick ops, contented soldiers, beautiful weather.. and a beautiful woman standing before him. He made a point to come visit her twice a week, sometimes more depending on whether he had a juicy story to relay.

 

No such tales this time, he merely came to.. well, he knew the reason why he had wanted to come down and see her – but he found himself in something of an awkward position. It was almost instinctive. The thought didn’t concern him. Instinct was his bread and butter, but he never acted without reason. He knew that much. All he had to do was find the words.

 

During this, she had finished absorbing the water into her skin and had already settled her arms around the bars. She squinted at him. He was lost in thought. She snapped a finger, managing to bring him back. The moment he set his eyes on her half-grin, he managed to find the words.

 

He was sure of it. 

 

“Quiet, I..”

 

She pressed a finger to his lips. He was seemingly unaware as to how close he came to the bars, to her. She hummed again, moving her hand to scratch at the scruff of his chin. He flinched at that, allowing her to fully caress the side of his right cheek. 

 

His own right hand came up to caress hers, giving it a light squeeze. 

 

“That.. what we did in that field, it was..”

 

She hummed in approval. Winking at him.

 

“Quiet, the--there’s something I have to tell you…”

 

\---

 

The air was cold. No sun, no warmth -- only clouds. 

 

His grip on the bars tightened as he looked down, leaning his forehead against them. The dreary aura carried throughout the chamber. Quietly, Venom sighed. The hammock lay empty, the shower-stall inactive. No smiles, no intimate touch. 

 

Pulling back, he gave the cell another once-over. He could _feel_ her presence, her warmth tingled at his nerves. Leaving him in a painful chill. 

 

Ascending the stairs, he was met with Kazuhira. The two shared a glance, before Venom looked up at the sky – at the clouds and the rain. Kaz tried to cover his grunt of disgust. He failed. Venom didn’t notice – or simply didn’t care, Kaz couldn’t tell. Reading the Boss was more difficult now than it ever had been. His partner, his best friend—was something of a stranger at times. 

 

“Egh,” Kaz growled. “You okay, Boss?” he asked, in an attempt to break the silence.

 

Droplets of rain fell upon Venom’s features. He cherished it – the small moment of serenity, of introspection. Through the cold, he managed to find some semblance of warmth. A reminder of what was. A reminder—

 

“ _Did you love her_ ,” Kaz said, coldly, not as a question. Rather, a statement. Deep down, he already knew the answer. It ate him up inside.

 

Venom let the words settle a while. He pondered what to say – if he could’ve managed to say anything at all. Truthfully, he found himself at a loss for words. Nothing particularly new there, he thought. He would… lose himself, on occasion. His thoughts clouded much like the darkened skies above – he normally wore the look of confusion and melancholy. Trying to remember; who he was, who he is, and her. 

 

“Boss, goddammit.” Kaz stepped forward, stepping closer to Venom. There was urgency in his voice. “I have to know. Answer me. _Please_.” 

 

Finally, after what felt like hours, Venom looked at Kazuhira – right into his bitter soul. The latter man felt a hitch in his throat. Suddenly, Venom moved and embraced him, catching Kaz off guard. His cheeks couldn’t help but flush. “B-Boss, I..” He sighed, tears beginning to well in his eyes. 

 

“ _Yes_.” 

 

Venom let go and stepped back, eyeing his old friend. He could see the bob in the others throat. In that moment, it felt as if it were just the two of them aboard that platform – no one else in sight. Kaz looked away, dodging Venom’s intense stare and pained look upon his features. Kaz faintly grimaced. “Well,” he started, his voice shakey. “I’m sorry,” was all he could manage further. He mirrored his better, stepping back. 

 

Venom’s brow furrowed. Caught in-between the loss of feeling; physically and emotionally - and the shrouded sensation of his memories. He could recall his love for Kazuhira, _feel_ it, but, somehow, it felt _off_ to him. His love for Quiet, on the other hand, was _palpable_. Both ultimately faded, in time. Leaving him, for lack of a better word, confused. In that moment, he was intimately reminded as to why he normally chose to remain alone. These years, at least..

 

He looked at Kaz one last time, feeling a pang of guilt. And then, he left. 

 

Shark and Ox stood and watched, seemingly out of sight from the scene that had took place. They looked at each other, the latter guard nudged him. And the former guard stepped out and started to approach.

 

"Y-You.." He cleared his throat. "You okay, sir?” 

 

Kaz remained silent, a blank expression on his face. Shark cringed and cleared his throat again, before attempting to repeat himself. “A-Are you—” 

 

“I’m fine.” 

 

"But, are -- aren't you--are those....tears?"

 

Kaz briefly glanced at the soldier and went to retort, but he stopped himself. Biting his tongue, he looked away as he reflected upon the past few minutes, coming to accept a bitter truth -- then, he looked up at the sky. "It's just the rain," he said.

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of Metal Gear having recently turned 30 this year, I wrote up a brisk bit of angst.


End file.
